Source: The New York Times

http://www.nytimes.com/2004/03/10/nyregion/10bishop.html

On March 10, 2004 The New York Times reported, "Cardinal Edward Egan and other senior Roman Catholic clerics traveled to Albany yesterday to meet with Gov. George E. Pataki and top lawmakers to convey their church's staunch opposition to same-sex marriage. Bishop Nicholas DiMarzio of Brooklyn, who discussed the church's position in a radio interview, condemned same-sex marriage as something that might, by extension, be compared to the legal union of people and their pets. 'I will give you an example, O.K.?,' Bishop DiMarzio said in an appearance on Fred Dicker's political talk show on WROW-AM. 'You want to reduce something to the absurd, which is basically rhetorical use of an image: Why can't we have marriages between people and pets?' the bishop said. 'I mean, pets really love their masters and why can't we have a marriage so they could inherit their money?'... The bishop's comments drew harsh criticism from advocates of gay rights and same-sex marriage."